Spaghetti carbonara

My housemate James Marshall and I tested a decent number of carbonara recipes while at university.  In fact, we ate little else for about a year.  This is how I cook it these days.  It's actually very similar to the recipes described by both Rick Stein and Marcella Hazan, in ingredients.  Rick Stein's fantastic YouTube video is available here but I have spelled out a few details below.  Note that with regards to the spaghetti, fresh pasta is possibly too rich and eggy for a rich and eggy sauce, so use dried, and leave it firm to the bite when cooked.  Chewing releases the flavour.

Spaghetti Carbonara

Serves 2

Dried spaghetti of a good brand
1 egg plus 1 yolk
Grated parmesan (or pecorino or half-half)
Pancetta or streaky bacon strips
Olive oil
Butter
1/2 small clove finely chopped or crushed garlic (depending on strength)
Finely chopped parsley

Begin by boiling the kettle to get the spagetti cooking as soon as you can.  Get the pancetta pieces frying with a bit of olive oil in a small saucepan.

Meanwhile prepare the sauce by combining the egg and yolk with around a tablespoon of grated cheese and some black pepper in a mug.  You might not need salt given the salty cheese and bacon.  Note that the recipe can easily be done for one person (post work?), in which case I would use one egg and break it gently over a sink to dispose of a small amount of white and keep the right balance with yolk.

If the well cooked bacon has thrown off a huge amount of fat you may like to remove some of it, otherwise proceed by adding a tablespoon of olive oil, a knob of butter and the garlic and parsley.  Return to a low heat to just infuse the oil with the garlic.

By this time the spaghetti will be cooked, so you can drain it, however here comes a crucial detail.  You are going to add the spaghetti and the egg mixture to the pancetta pan, however you must allow the pancetta pan to cool first otherwise the egg will scramble.  And note that if it is a thick, heavy based saucepan you will probably need to let it cool for a good few minutes.  If the pan is already cool enough you can transfer the pasta straight into it with tongs and spoon in a little of the salty pasta water to boost the sauce.

All the recipe books tell you not to put the pan back on the heat once you've added the egg, but I don't agree with this.  It's fine, as long as it's a very low heat and you keep stirring the contents.  Of course the aim is to thicken the sauce without scrambling the egg.

One tip is to grate some parmesan onto the plate before placing the spagetti on top (with more cheese and black pepper).  It's not heathly but it is cheap, quick and delicious!